50 



Order INSECTIVORA 



Illinois. The known distribution, in the United States, of three 

 shrews having a limited range in Illinois is shown in fig. 43. 



Economic Status. — All members of the order are beneficial 

 to some extent, because they feed on soil-inhabiting insects, 

 many of which are injurious to crop plants. Moles and shrew- 

 are of no commercial value for their pelts. Moles often become 

 nuisances in gardens and lawns by raising the soil above their 

 subsurface runways. 



KEY TO SPECIES 

 Whole Animals 



1. Front feet more than twice as wide as hind feet; over-all 



length of animal more than 150 mm. (5% in.) 



Talpidae (moles) 2 



Front feet approximately same width as hind feet; over-all 



length of anima! less than ISO mm. (5l/£ in.) 



Soricidae (shrews) 3 



2. Snout naked; eyes not visible; tail length less than 40 mm. 



{\$/% in.) eastern mole, Scalopus aquaticus 



Snout with fleshy, finger-like tentacles; eyes visible; tail 



length more than 50 mm. (2 in.) 



star-nosed mole, Condylura cristata 



3. Tail length less than half of head+body length; ears hid- 



den in fur 4 



Fig. 44. — Rostrums or upper jaws of insectivores, side view: 

 a, short-tailed shrew; h, least shrew; c, pigmy shrew; J, Star-nosed 

 mole; e, southeastern shrew; f, eastern mole; g, masked shrew. 



